Chisholm Discussing Jose's Poor Play

Good read from Tim and I couldn't agree more. Here's a little snippet of what he had to say about Jose:

Calderon became less effective in just about every area of the game last year. New acquisitions Hedo Turkoglu and Jarrett Jack encroached on his duties, Triano fully implemented his preferred offense and the team's lack of defensive personnel further highlighted Calderon's most glaring post-injury weakness. His PER dropped to 16.5, the lowest it had been since his rookie season. He was scoring less (10.3 ppg versus 12.8 ppg the year before), shooting worse (.596 true-shooting percentage versus .613) and he ultimately lost his starting spot due to a left hip injury. After supporting him so fervently two years ago, the fans grew restless with his reduced production, even booing him in a late-season game against Chicago after he missed an open three-pointer. By the end of last season, Calderon looked lost as to what his place even was in Toronto anymore.

Now, after spending all summer on the trading block, Calderon is left on a team that doesn't want him and playing for a fan base that has grown tired of him. It's been nearly two years since his hamstring injury and it's become clear that the burst he lost in 2008 isn't coming back. The growing crop of young, athletic and speedy point guards that are dotting the league are making each night a defensive nightmare for Calderon, and he's forced to play in front of a frontcourt that offers little in the way of help to protect him as a defender. To watch him play this pre-season, where he's averaging 4.7 ppg on 28% shooting (9.1% shooting from behind the arc), is to watch a man that looks wholly out of sorts on the court. While he's still managing an impressive 8.5 assists per-36 minutes, most now believe that he's playing in the starting five not because he's the best option but because the team is hoping to increase his trade value on the open market. In the summer of 2008 he was the future of the team at point guard, today his team wants rid of him so badly they are willing to weaken themselves defensively at the start of every game in the hopes of expediting his departure. You want to know why Calderon is struggling this pre-season? I think you have your answer.

Sad but true. I hate to admit it after seeing the potential this guy had two years ago, and also because he has a reputation as being a positive personality on the team.
I still smile when I think of Calderon running back down the floor after a big three back before Garbajosa broke his leg (aka the day the Raptors dream died). The looks on the faces of all those guys (Bosh, Calderon, TJ, Garbo, Nesterovic, Parker, even Bargs) was so different than anything we've seen since.

i think he just needs someone better to play pick&roll with. bargnani is more of a pick&pop player and even then, he doesn't set good picks. even though amir and calderon seem to have a good pick&roll game, amir's offense is limited at the moment to within 5 feet from the basket. opposing teams realize that and adjust accordingly. evans sets good picks, but we've seen many times already that passing him the ball isn't much of a threat.

i think part of the reason he doesn't drive like he used to is because the help defender gets up on him realizing that the roll player is not much of a threat. and his shot doesn't seem to be falling right not, but players go through such phases all the time.

he's slowed down a bit no doubt. and chisholm's points, in my opinion, are on the money. but i still think he can rebound...i hope so anyways.

In terms of trade options, LA clippers seem to be the only possibility at the moment. They are looking aggressively for a true back-up point guard, Jose would love to play pick and roll with Blake. But, if Jose can't turn a corner and run, let alone pay ok defense. He's untradeable.

I think Calderon is a guy who would look a lot better with better teammates. I don't think it's a coincidence that as the team's talent level has declined, Calderon has looked worse. I think Calderon could definitely start, or at least play a big role, on a very good team, but he needs good players around him.

I totally agree with the idea that they're shopping him. I'd rather see him moved for some sort of asset, bring in a vet minimum PG and roll with Marcus Banks as the 2nd PG for the rest of the season. The most important thing for a second unit PG this season is being able to play solid defense. They have enough ball handlers to get by without a good play making second unit PG.

You know, then another option is to try to get into the Melo blockbuster that's going to happen at some point and pry Ty Lawson away from the Nuggets. That would be a great move.

I think Calderon is a guy who would look a lot better with better teammates. I don't think it's a coincidence that as the team's talent level has declined, Calderon has looked worse. I think Calderon could definitely start, or at least play a big role, on a very good team, but he needs good players around him.

Tim respectfully, read Chisolm's blog again, it shows what system he's good in and that's Sam Mitchell's. A slow moving half-court team that shoots the three ball. After the knee and hip problems, the dude can't run. It doesn't matter about the surrounding talent, if your point guard will refuse to go past the 3-point line.

He can play in this league, with a well structured pick and roll offense, with great outside shooters. He's a system point guard, in the European mold. The Euro style of Sam Mitchell is long gone and Calderon is a relic of the past.

Tim respectfully, read Chisolm's blog again, it shows what system he's good in and that's Sam Mitchell's. A slow moving half-court team that shoots the three ball. After the knee and hip problems, the dude can't run. It doesn't matter about the surrounding talent, if your point guard will refuse to go past the 3-point line.

He can play in this league, with a well structured pick and roll offense, with great outside shooters. He's a system point guard, in the European mold. The Euro style of Sam Mitchell is long gone and Calderon is a relic of the past.

I read it, I just don't completely agree with his assessment. I also agree that he does better in a certain system, but that's the case with most players. Of course, Calderon looked very good at times during the season when the team was running, so its not as if he can't play and excel in a running game.

I also agree that he does better in a certain system, but that's the case with most players.

True and we should be able to safely say that full court is a system that Jose doesn't work well with. He's a prototypical half court PG who is adverse to pushing it and taking chances. When TJ was on the way out I was always baffled by the hate, all derived from voicing displeasure about his situation once. He was far more suited to the system Colangelo wanted than Jose was and yet he was mercilessly thrown under the bus.

The comment about Sam Mitchell as a "Euro Style" half-court offense is a bit of a head-scratcher. I think Sam favoured the half-court offence because Calderon was never really fast, even in the heydays of Sam Mitchell. Sam to his credit was tough on defence. Under his watch, the team gave up less than 100 points (it was a direction not shared by BC and Bargs, hence he was let go). Calderon had burst and had better wing defenders in Parker and Garbajosa.

He must run the second unit. As much as BC is showcasing him for the rest of the league, the reality is that he must go or come from the bench if he stays. I really like Banks as back-up and in time, JC will be gone. Charlotte is very much in the picture as their invitees are dropping like flies. If they only have to give up Diaw, they''ll do it in the first month of the season.

ďThe saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.Ē - Martin Luther King

True and we should be able to safely say that full court is a system that Jose doesn't work well with. He's a prototypical half court PG who is adverse to pushing it and taking chances. When TJ was on the way out I was always baffled by the hate, all derived from voicing displeasure about his situation once. He was far more suited to the system Colangelo wanted than Jose was and yet he was mercilessly thrown under the bus.

Well, I think Calderon is better and more comfortable in a half court system, to be sure, but he played very well many times while pushing the ball last season.

And the hate towards Ford was, I think, more about how he handled himself (not just the one comment) than anything he did on the court. I was a big fan of the Villanueva-Ford trade as I thought Ford was an excellent young PG, but at the time he was traded away, I thought it was time for him to go. He'd simply worn out his welcome with the team.

I don't think the TJ hate had so much to do with him voicing his displeasure: it had to do with him letting his frustration get the best of him on the floor. I lost track of how many games he lost us after he came back from the injury trying to go 1 on 4, shooting everything and totally dominating the offense. He had to go after that, regardless of what he said or didn't say. And it was good we moved him when we did -- if you think Jose has fallen off, TJ took that to a whole additional level.

I don't think the TJ hate had so much to do with him voicing his displeasure: it had to do with him letting his frustration get the best of him on the floor. I lost track of how many games he lost us after he came back from the injury trying to go 1 on 4, shooting everything and totally dominating the offense. He had to go after that, regardless of what he said or didn't say. And it was good we moved him when we did -- if you think Jose has fallen off, TJ took that to a whole additional level.

Why cant you discuss Jose without bringing up a PG thats no longer here ? Does it make you feel better ?

TJ did more in his first season 06-07 than Jose did here his entire 5 yrs..DEAL with it !

I don't remember Calderon pouting when he was moved to the bench. Maybe I'm remembering things wrong.

Ugh why do you calderon fans pretend like he didnt pout after the 07-08 season...he pouted in a spanish paper that he should be starting whether it be for the raps or somewhere else...hence BC had to make a decision but the Jose guys never seem to wanna remmeber this.....they both pouted but only TJ gets called out on it.....

oh and calderon exceling in a running system is downright laughable...he isnt built for and up tempo style of basketball...how many times you see his conservative ass pull up on a break with numbers......serious some of you dudes are showing you dont watch the games....